Homemade Ensaimada de Mallorca

Total time: 75 mins. + leavening time (5H)

Difficulty: Low

Serves: 6-8

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By Ilaria Canevara

Ensaimada de Mallorca is a sweet leavened pastry with a distinctive spiral shape, typical of the Balearic Islands, particularly the island of Mallorca. It's made with a dough made of water, eggs, flour, sugar, and dried brewer's yeast. Rolled out into a very thin sheet, it's then filled with plenty of lard, which, once baked, gives the brioche a fragrant, perfectly flaky texture.

Dusted generously with powdered sugar, Ensaimada de Mallorca is excellent for breakfast or as a snack with a cup of coffee or fruit tea, but it's also perfect as a dessert after a dinner with guests.

Ensaimada de Mallorca's History

Ensaimada de Mallorca is a traditional pastry from the Spanish island of Mallorca, with origins that date back several centuries. Its name comes from the Catalan word saïm, meaning lard, one of the key ingredients traditionally used in the dough. Historians believe the pastry developed during the period of cultural exchange between Christian, Jewish, and Arab communities in the Balearic Islands, with some theories linking it to older Middle Eastern spiral pastries. By the 17th century, ensaimadas were already documented in Mallorca as celebratory baked goods often prepared for festivals and special occasions. Over time, the pastry became one of the island’s most iconic foods, recognized for its soft, airy texture and signature spiral shape dusted with powdered sugar. Today, ensaimada de Mallorca is protected with a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in Europe, underscoring its cultural and culinary importance, and can be enjoyed in local restaurants and pastry shops both plain, as in the version offered here, and filled with a variety of fillings; among the most famous is cabell d'àngel, a traditional Majorcan pumpkin jam.

Ensaimada's Variations

There are several popular variations of ensaimada across Mallorca and other parts of the Spanish-speaking world. The classic Mallorcan version is usually plain and dusted generously with powdered sugar, but many ensaimadas are filled with ingredients such as pumpkin jam (cabello de ángel), chocolate, pastry cream, or whipped cream. In Mallorca, larger celebratory versions may also include savory fillings like sobrasada sausage. As the pastry spread internationally, especially to the Philippines and parts of Latin America, new regional adaptations emerged: Filipino ensaimadas, for example, are typically softer, richer, and topped with butter, sugar, and grated cheese. Despite the differences, all variations preserve the pastry’s characteristic spiral shape and soft, airy texture.

What Does Enasaimada de Mallorca Taste Like?

Ensaimada de Mallorca has a light, buttery, and slightly sweet flavor with a texture that’s soft, airy, and almost feathery inside. Despite its rich appearance, it’s surprisingly delicate rather than heavy, thanks to the long fermentation that gives the dough its signature fluffiness. The traditional use of lard adds a subtle richness and tenderness, while the powdered sugar on top provides a gentle sweetness without making the pastry overly sugary.

Ingredients

for the leaven

0 flour

40g

water

30g

dried brewer's yeast

for the dough

0 flour

200g

Lard

100g

Granulated sugar

70g

water

30ml

salt

egg

for the finishing

powdered sugar

to taste

you'll also need

Lard

to taste

How to Make Ensaimada de Mallorca

Step 1

To make the Ensaimada de Mallorca at home, first prepare the yeast: sift the flour with the dehydrated yeast into a bowl and pour in the lukewarm water.

Step 2

Mix everything well until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough, then cover with a clean cotton cloth and let it rise for about 1 hour.

Step 3

Once the resting time has elapsed, collect the flour, egg, water, salt and the yeast, now doubled in volume, in the mixer bowl.

Step 4

Work for a long time with the hook until the mixture comes away completely from the sides of the mixer: It will take about 20-25 minutes.

Step 5

Take the smooth and well-kneaded dough and transfer it to a work surface lightly greased with lard, then roll it out with a rolling pin into a very thin square sheet of about 60 cm on each side.